A Thousand years -LionblazeXIcecloud-
by Pyr0-Kat
Summary: After the battle with the Dark Forest, Thunderclan struggles to put the past behind them and continue on with life. And after so much death and destruction, many adolescent cat's are violently reminded that they won't live forever- and their feelings can't be suppressed any longer. (This is a old story- I wrote it a year ago. Rated T for small human swearing among other things.)
1. Prologue

_When did it all go wrong?_  
Less than a moon ago, Icecloud's biggest concern was having to collect moss for the elders. Now, only week's later, everything was wrong.

"Ferncloud..." Grief thickened Icecloud's mew, and she choked out a sob. The battle with the dark forest had ended only two hours ago, and Icecloud had watched her mother's spirit leave the camp for the last time. Along with Hollyleaf, Mousefur, and Firestar, she had been killed by the Dark Forest warriors.

Another sob raked over Icecloud's body. She was crouched next to her mothers cold body in the center of camp. Foxleap was crouched next to her, his paws tucked neatly under himself and his orange fur fluffed up against her to keep them both warm. Birchfall, her older brother, was on the other side of Ferncloud's body next to Dustpelt, her father. Circled around her were other cats, circled around other bodies.

A couple fox-lengths to her left, Jayfeather was coaxing Purdy into eating some herbs while he mourned over Mousefur's corpse. And to her right, Sandstorm, Graystripe, and Squirrelflight mourned over Firestar's body. Leafpool had been there before, but Jayfeather had made her help him with the injured cats.

But behind her was Hollyleaf's corpse. Circled around Hollyleaf were two cats. Cinderheart, and Lionblaze.

Lionblaze.

He had been Icecloud's crush ever since they were in the nursery together. And now, he was sitting less than a tail-length away from her. His back to her, sitting too close to Cinderheart, grieving over his sister's body.

And here was Icecloud, supposedly grieving over her mothers fallen corpse, when now all she could think about was Lionblaze. Crouched down, less than a tail-length away. If she flicked her tail, it would brush his. He mother, dead in front of her, and she was thinking about was the handsome golden tom laying down behind her.

This was going to be a long night.


	2. Part 1

Jayfeather applied another set of cobwebs onto Spiderleg's stomach, yawning. It had been a very long night, and he could tell that the sun was already coming up. They would have to bury the fallen soon.

"Thanks," Spiderleg muttered. He got up and began walking to the warriors den, but Jayfeather cleared his throat to stop the black and brown tom.

"I don't think so. You better stay in the Medicine cat's den for a couple days with Thornclaw." Jayfeather sensed Spiderleg bristle, but before he could say anything, Jayfeather snapped, "I've been up all night also, so just do what I say, ok?"  
Spiderleg opened his mouth to object, but Jayfeather- again sensing the other toms rebellious attitude, cut him off. "Just go into my den, mouse-brain! You think you'll be able to hunt with that cut? Your guts will fall out if you get tangled into some brambles!" He sensed- with satisfaction, the image work it's way into Spiderleg's head.

The black warrior waited before growling "Fine," and began to limp his way to the den.

"Briarlight should have a nest ready for you!" Jayfeather called to him

"Jayfeather!" the hiss caused him to jump and spike up his fur. He landed awkwardly and promptly tripped over his own paws, falling on his nose.  
"_Foxdung!_ Don't sneak up on me like that!" Jayfeather quickly scrambled to his paws, his fur hot with embarrassment. He should have scented Leafpool coming before she got so close to him, but he hadn't noticed her at all.  
She sighed "Go get some rest. I told you that I would take care of Spiderleg,"  
Jayfeather rolled his sightless eyes "Yea, because you have so much more energy than me. You actually fought in the battle."  
Leafpool hissed "That isn't important! Look at you! You're so tired, you didn't even notice-"  
"I can't _look_ at myself," Jayfeather growled back.  
"Go to your nest," Leafpool growled "That's an order."  
Jayfeather bristled up even more "How _dare_ you! You don't have the authority-"

"But _I_ do." Jayfeather jumped again, but was able to land somewhat more dignified than last time. He scented Bramblestar standing next to Leafpool now. "You have done your clan very well, there is nothing more to do," Bramblestar mewed "You deserve some rest." Jayfeather hated being bossed around; but he reluctantly admitted to himself that he _was_ very tired.

"Fine," he muttered "let me at least have a moment with my sister before you bury her."

Bramblestar nodded, then quickly remembering Jayfeather's disability, mewed "Very well."

Jayfeather walked away from Leafpool and Bramblestar with his tail held high- he had had enough embarrassment to last nine lifetimes already. He walked past Purdy, who loudly snored over his old den mates', Mousefur's, body. _I'm sure she's telling him off for it in his dreams,_ Jayfeather thought, amused. He quietly stepped in between Hollyleaf's and Ferncloud's bodies, and was his strait in the face with a flood of emotions. Jayfeather stopped in his tracks, caught off-guard.

_What in the name of Starclan..._

He continued walking, so he wouldn't bring too much attention to himself, and walked around to the side of Hollyleaf's body that didn't have his brother or Cinderheart by it. He pushed his nose into his sister's pelt, and was swamped with memories of dark tunnels, ice-cold water, and Rock. But he pushed them back reluctantly, and instead traced his steps back with his mind to where he had felt the surge of emotions. They weren't his emotions, he knew that much. They were... _Icecloud's?_

As soon as Jayfeather had targeted where the emotions were coming from, they came flooding to him again. He tried to sort through them, figure out what was wrong with Icecloud.

_Is she hurt? Did I miss something on her?_  
But what Jayfeather was sensing wasn't a physical type of pain, it was more of a... an _emotional_ kind of pain. And it was all directed at...  
_...Lionblaze?_

Jayfeather heard heavy paw steps approach him, and scented Bramblestar. He lowered his head and whispered into Jayfeather's ear,  
"It's time."  
_Time?_ Time for what? _Of course, to bury the deceased._

Suddenly Jayfeather panicked, his sister had just gotten back home, and now she was gone? They would never walk in the forest together again, or go herb collecting. But Jayfeather stood up on already stiff legs, and left without a word. _Don't be ridiculous, It's not like you'll never see her again. In fact, you will actually _see_ her now._ Jayfeather smiled to himself at his own joke, and pushed his way through the ivy to his den.

He heard Briarlight's soft snores come from her nest; he was glad that he didn't have to deal with her constant questioning. His exhaustion came crashing down on him, and he almost fell into his nest, falling fast asleep.

* * * *  
Lionblaze heard Jayfeather get up and leave, and he opened his eyes slowly into a squint. Bramblestar was standing on the other side of Hollyleaf's body, hesitating for a moment before lowering his head to bury his nose into her fur. A couple of heartbeats later, Leafpool and Squirrelflight came to join him.

But after a few moments, Bramblestar raised his head again to address the clan.

"Cats of Thunderclan, last night we won a great battle. Now we have the grim task of burying our deceased. Who is fit enough for the task?" His words were met with silence for a couple of moments, no cat was fit enough to do much. But eventually, Sandstorm got to her feet, shaking a bit.

"I want to burry Firestar," She croaked, not bothering to clear her thought as she went on. "And after today, I wish to retire to the elders den."

A few shocked mews were heard from around the clan, but Bramblestar only dipped his head "Very well. You have served your clan well, Sandstorm."  
Graystripe got his feet as well "I will also bury Firestar. But I can still serve my clan for a couple more moons," He added, doing his best to purr at Sandstorm.

But her eye's remained dull and unemotional as she picked up Firestar by the scruff, and began to heave his body to the camp entrance.  
"We will bury Ferncloud," Dustpelt said, volunteering his kits as well as himself. "and I think that I will join Sandstorm in the Elders' den."  
Bramblestar nodded solemnly "You have also served this clan very well."  
Icecloud and Foxleap picked up Ferncloud's body between them, and Dustpelt ducked under them so that the gray she-cat was slung across his back.  
Without a word, Brackenfur and Birchfall walked over and picked up Mousefur's body between them, following Dustpelt, Icecloud, Foxleap, Sandstorm, and Graystripe outside. Purdy was left snoring in the center of camp.  
Lionblaze stood up slowly, resisting the urge to yawn. He leaned down and heaved his sister's body onto his back, ready to bring her outside and bury her too.  
"Wait, Lionblaze." Bramblestar spoke up behind him. "I want you to lead a hunting patrol, and try to remark the Windclan border as much as you can while you are out. I know I'm asking a lot of you, but we need to keep the clan going."  
Lionblaze let Hollyleaf's body roll of of his back. It landed with a soft thud, and Lionblaze winced as if struck.  
Cinderheart stood up and stretched, "I'll bury her," She mewed to Lionblaze.

"I will too," Injected Leafpool,whose eye's were as dull as Sandstorm's had been.

Lionblaze nodded gratefully at his mother "Thank you," He mewed quietly. "Who should I take on my patrol?" He asked, straightening his shoulders and trying to talk louder, gathering his last bits of energy together.

Bramblestar thought for a moment, looking around the devastated camp. "Take Dovewing, Whitewing, Berrynose, and Holl-" Bramblestar cut himself off. "Er, Icecloud. Dustpelt and Foxleap can handle themselves.  
Lionblaze nodded, ignoring the pain in his heart.  
* * * *

* * *

_Hey guys! I'm still fairly new to the format of this website, but I'm pretty sure that the general thing to do is to out author's notes down here? anyways, like I've said- This story is over a year old, and It's all written out already- I'll be uploading it throughout today and tomorrow, taking time to do minor edits and smooth out certain parts. Follow for more!_


	3. Part 2

_"Where were you when she needed you?" _  
The words passed through Icecloud's mind again. Where had she been when her mother needed her? She had been cornered, surrounded by Dark Forest warriors. If she hadn't been so weak, maybe she would have been able to save her.  
_Where was I? I was fighting for my life. I almost died, _  
Icecloud scooped another pawful of dirt from the ground.  
_But I didn't. I should have been there. I should have saved her._  
Another pawful of dirt.  
_My father shouldn't be blaming this on me. Where was _he_ when she needed him? In the Medicine cats den,_  
Another.  
_sleeping._  
Icecloud shot a sideways glance at Dustpelt. He looked fine, just as bad as Icecloud or Foxleap looked.  
_Where was Foxleap when she needed him? Or Birchfall? Where were _any_ of us?_  
Two more pawfuls of wet dirt.  
_Why blame it on _me?

"Icecloud?"

The mew surprised her, and she jumped back, claws extended. Her back feet landed in thin air, and with a yelp she fell backwards into the hole she had just been digging. She tumbled backwards once, and landed with an,

"Ooof!"

On her tail.  
A handsome golden tabby head looked down onto her from above.

"Oh geeze, I'm sorry! Here, let me help you up,"

Icecloud looked up to see Lionblaze reach lean his head down the hole to help her get out. It was just half a tail-length taller than her head, and she could probably get out on her own.  
But like _hell_ she was going to miss this opportunity.  
Icecloud scrambled up the hole enough for Lionblaze to grab a hold of her scruff in his jaws, and haul her out. Frantically Icecloud hoped that she didn't weigh too much, (that would be _so_ embarrassing.)  
Lionblaze set her gently down next to him, and stepped away enough for Icecloud to see if she had been hurt. Some of her cobwebs had fallen off, and a scratch above her eye had begun to bleed again, but other than that she was fine. Well, her normally white for now looked like it had big brown splotches on it, but that wasn't worrisome. At least, It wouldn't have been if she hadn't been in front of Lionblaze. Icecloud picked up her paw and begun to lick the dirt off it. She ended up gagging, spitting out the mud.  
She heard a murrow of laughter behind her, and turned to glare at her brother, Foxleap.

"Shut up," Icecloud hissed

And to her surprise, Lionblaze purred in laughter.

"Come on, we better get going. You're joining my hunting and border patrol. The others are waiting for us," Lionblaze meowed, turning around into the forest. Icecloud blinked, and followed like a kit following its mother.

Dovewing, Whitewing, and Berrynose were waiting for them in the training hollow. Whitewing and Dovewing were talking in a far off corner, and Berrynose was curled up snoring in the center. Lionblaze jabbed him with a paw, waking him up.

"Dovewing, where should we hunt?" Lionblaze asked, ignoring Berrynose's growl of annoyance.

Icecloud wondered why he was asking her. Sure she was a good hunter, but didn't he have a nose also? Dovewing straitened her ears, and swiveled them around for a moment before replying,

"The lake. I don't think that their was much fighting there, so a lot of prey is scattered on the beaches."

Dovewing's mother, Whitewing, gave her a weird look.

"Er, I think." She mewed quickly.

Lionblaze nodded "Good idea, I think so also. Lead the way," He invited, flicking his tail to Dovewing. She smiled excitedly and bounded down the slope to the beach. The rest of the patrol followed, Berrynose yawning and Icecloud holding back a blush.

_I'll tell him how I feel. It's what Ferncloud would have wanted. She would wanted me to be happy, right?_

Icecloud took a deep breath, and whipped some of the blood dripping into her eye off with a muddy paw.

_I will tell him, today. On this patrol._

Icecloud felt like hitting her head on a tree.

_How could I be such a WIMP? Lionblaze is probably in there _right now,_ with Cinderheart._

Icecloud was pacing in the center of the camp, mulling over what went wrong during the patrol. After they had caught enough prey to feed half the clan, and marked the Windclan border, (and Dovewing had pushed Icecloud into the lake to clean off the mud,) they had come home to find that the only cat awake was Squirrelflight.

Jayfeather and Bramblestar had left, (Jayfeather was very cranky about being woken up, according to Squirrelflight) for Bramblestar to receive his nine lives. And he had left with the order for everyone to get some rest. Squirrelflight, as the new deputy, was guarding the camp; although she looked asleep on her paws. Icecloud didn't feel tired at all, (and she was terrified of going into the warriors den,) so she had volunteered to guard the camp while Squirrelflight slept. Squirrelflight had protested, but after a short argument with Lionblaze, she consented.

So now here was Icecloud, in the middle of her devastated camp, wondering why in Starclan's name she had not talked to Lionblaze AT ALL on their patrol. She felt like a lost kit crying for it's mother.  
_I might as well be,_ She thought glumly.

"Icecloud?"

Icecloud spun around to see Bramblestar and Jayfeather returning from the Moonpool. She quickly groomed her chest, trying to flatten her ruffled fur.

"Er- Bramblestar! It's good to see that you have returned safely," Icecloud tried to push all thoughts of Lionblaze to the back of her mind.

"Yes, thank you. But what are you doing up?" Jayfeather was pointedly ignoring them both.

"Oh, Squirrelflight was tired, so I volunteered to guard the camp. I'm not that tired, really." Icecloud was bone tired. Bramblestar could tell also.

"Icecloud, go to your nest. You went on the hunting patrol this morning, so you deserve sleep more than anyone."

Jayfeather cleared his throat "Bramblestar, I think that you also need to sleep. And as your medicine cat, I am ordering you to go to your nest." Bramblestar opened his mouth, "And dear Starclan, I will drug you with poppy seeds and drag you by the tail to your den if you argue with me," Jayfeather snapped, obviously just as tired himself.

Bramblestar blinked. "Point taken, Jayfeather. And uh, Icecloud, would you wake Squirrelflight and have her organize patrols?"

Icecloud nodded, holding back a purr of laughter. But when she began walking to the warriors den, all of her worries came back. She would walk on there, and see Cinderheart and Lionblaze sharing a nest. It would officially announce them as mates, and Icecloud would have had lost her chance of ever telling Lionblaze her feelings for him.  
_So this is it, _Icecloud thought bitterly. _The love of my life is stolen by a gray tabby from the past._ Icecloud took a deep breath, and pushed her way into the warriors den.  
* * * *


	4. Part 3

_Cinderheart isn't in the den._

Jayfeather wanted to yowl it to Icecloud, because it was the only thing on her mind.  
After their visit to the Moonpool, Jayfeather had left feeling content, if not a bit giddy- because Half Moon was the one who gave Bramblestar his last life. On their way back to camp, upon Bramblestar's inquiry, Jayfeather had told him everything. How Half-Moon was his mate from thousands of season's ago, and how he had entered the tunnels in the present, then came out in the past as Jay's Wing. Bramblestar was surprised, to say the least. But after slight hesitation, he concluded that there was no harm in Jayfeather's relationship; because, well, Half Moon had been dead for countless moons.

Their conversation was only interrupted once, when they crossed paths with Cinderheart. She said that Lionblaze was sleeping, and she felt like going hunting. After that encounter, they had proceeded in silence. When they had walked in the camp, Jayfeather could feel the distress coming of of Icecloud's pelt in waves. So after Icecloud left, Jayfeather went into his own den.

"Hey Jayfeather! Did everything go ok at the Moonpool?"

_Briarlight._  
Jayfeather moaned inwardly. He was _not_ in the mood for this.

"It went fine." He said bluntly, hoping that she wasn't going to ask more.  
He should have known better.

"Who gave Bramblestar his lives? Oh wait, are you not supposed to tell me? But, I'm like your assistant now, so dose that make me part medicine cat?" Jayfeather growled, and Briarlight finally got the hint.

"How are Thornclaw and Spiderleg?" He just had to know how they were holding up, then he could settle his curiosity on Icecloud.

"Thornclaw was having some sharp pains in his stomach, so I gave him two poppy seeds."

"Thornclaw's big enough to have three, but good job." Jayfeather paused for effect "Now, I have been up for a _very_ long time. So don't bug me, ok?" He didn't want any interruptions while he was taking care of Icecloud.

"Got it," Briarlight assured him.

Jayfeather curled up in his nest and tucked his nose neatly under his tail. _Finally. What's wrong, Icecloud?_

He imagined himself getting out for his nest, and walking across camp to the warriors den. Stepping across his sleeping clanmates, and finding Icecloud in the nest by Foxleap's. Jayfeather vividly pictured himself curling up next to her, closing his eyes and slowing down his breathing to match hers.

_Why isn't this working?_ Jayfeather thought after a couple heartbeats. It usually didn't take this long.  
_What if my powers are gone?_ the idea made the fur along his back stand up. _We fought the battle, and it was won. We don't need our powers anymore, do we? _Jayfeather shifted nervously, trying to get comfortable.  
A twig snapped, and Jayfeather opened his eyes; only to close them again from the glare of the sun.

"Jayfeather...? Is that you?" The mew came from behind him, and Jayfeather turned around, squinting until his eyes got used to the bright forest surrounding him.

Surprisingly enough, Icecloud's dream was taking place in leaf-bare. Snow covered the ground and bushes, turning everything into a sharp, white glare directed at Jayfeather's un-practiced eyes.  
_Lovely. Just _lovely.

"What are you doing here?"

Eventually Jayfeather was able to open his eyes completely without going blind once more, and found himself lying down in the center of the training hollow. Icecloud was standing off to the side, watching him with large blue eyes.  
Jayfeather stood up and shook the snow off that had stuck to his fur.

"You tell me. This is_ your _dream." He mewed in his cool, mysterious way.

Icecloud hesitated for a heartbeat, then took two steps forward.

"I-I don't know. Why would I dream of you?"

Jayfeather sat down and cleared the snow from the ground next to him, inviting Icecloud over.

"Maybe you want someone to talk to?"

Icecloud hesitated again, looking at the spot next to him.  
_Come on already. Relax..._ Jayfeather mentally willed her on.  
As if reading his mind, Icecloud took a seat and sighed deeply.

"A lot has been on my mind, actually," She began quietly, "It's about- well, you know..." She trailed off.

Jayfeather shook his head "No, I don't know."

Icecloud growled under her breath "Are you really going to make me say his name out loud?" Not receiving an answer, she sighed. "fine," She murmured "It's... Lionblaze."  
After that, everything started to spill out. Her barriers were down, and there was nothing to stop her.

"It's just- how could he? I mean- he's with Cinderheart now, ya, I know, but- how could he forget me so easily? We were never really that close, but we were always with each other! _I_ was always there for him! He never noticed me, and now- now he's running off with some stupid tabby from the past!"

Jayfeather blinked in surprise. He didn't expect such a strong reaction out of her...

"They were only together when Cinderheart still had Cinderpelt in her- so how does he know that it's _Cinderheart_ that likes him? It could have been Cinderpelt that liked him- or someone that looked like him when she was alive!"

Jayfeather's ears perked up a bit.  
_I never thought of that..._

"They have no chemistry!" Icecloud was practically spitting out her words now, like they were poison in her mouth "They were never in the nursery with each other, and they never talked as apprentices- even as young warriors, they never so much as_ glanced_ at one another! And-" Suddenly Icecloud seemed to realize that she was telling all of this to Jayfeather, and promptly covered her mouth with her tail; as if trying to keep the words in.

Jayfeather set his tail gently on her shoulder for comfort, but took it off after a couple of heartbeats.

"So do you feel this way because..." He gently prompted her to continue

Icecloud lower her tail from her mouth. "I- I feel like this because..." Icecloud took a deep, shaky breath as if it were hurting her to continue. "I... I like Lionblaze."  
She suddenly dug her claws into the partly-frozen earth, and the fur on her neck spiked up. "Who am I kidding?" She spat, "I'm in love with that fur ball! I have been ever since we were kits- from the first time I opened my eyes and saw his fluffy kit-face, I was in love with him! And I have been for my entire life!"

Icecloud stood up, and began pacing furiously back and forth across the white hollow, lashing her tail from side to side.  
"My entire life- wasted! I've always been in the shadows, he's never even glanced at me. I'm nothing to him," Icecloud stopped pacing and slumped down into the snow, her gaze lost in her paws. "I've never been, and I never will be,"

Jayfeather noticed with dread the steady falling of tears onto the snow below Icecloud's muzzle. But just as he stood up to help her, he opened his eyes to find blackness.

"J-Jayfeather!" Briarlight's panicked voice worked it's way into his tired ears.

"What?" He growled, putting his paw over his muzzle. _I was so close to helping her..._

"It's Thornclaw!" Briarlight gasped out, her voice right next to his ear. "He's not breathing!"

* * *

"J-Jayfeather?" Icecloud looked up, sniffing, to find only her own muddy paw prints and a patch of packed snow where Jayfeather had just been sitting.  
_Figures,_ She thought bitterly, rubbing her eyes angrily with a paw _The first time I'm able to say it out loud, and it's in a dream with my Medicine cat. And his brother, _She suddenly realized, feeling as if someone had just dropped a heavy rock in her stomach. _Jayfeather is Lionblaze's brother!_  
Icecloud felt like hitting her head on a tree. She glance over her shoulder at a wide maple.  
_It does look tempting..._

But before Icecloud had the chance to dive any deeper into self-pity, she found herself being shaken awake.

"_Murf..._ W-what is it?" The white she-cat opened her blue eyes to find her littermates amber eyes less than a mouse-length away from hers. Still too sleepy to be surprised, she simply pawed at his muzzle until he backed up, giving her enough room to get up and groom.

"What's going on?" Icecloud yawned

"Nothing good," Foxleap replied grimly, "Thornclaw was just found dead in the Medicine Cat's den."  
Icecloud stopped mid-groom, her paw frozen mid-air, and her tongue sticking out of her mouth half-way.

"Th-that's terrible!" Icecloud tried to find grief inside of her, maybe even a scrap of pity, but there was none. She never knew Thornclaw that well, and he was old. Old enough to join Sandstorm, Purdy, and Dustpelt in the elder's den, give him a few more moons.

Foxleap nodded, looking at his paws. Icecloud could tell that he had the same feelings as her.

"Want to go hunting? After we say our final goodbye's to Thornclaw, I mean." Icecloud said after a while, trying to break the silence.

Her brother looked up and nodded, obviously grateful for the excuse to get out of camp. He trotted out of the warriors den, allowing Icecloud time to finish grooming. As she was finishing up, Icecloud couldn't help but glance around the den.

Cloudtail and Greystripe were the only cats left, snoring in their messy nests. Cinderheart's nest was empty, also.

_Did she come back at all last night?_ Icecloud wondered, remembering her relief last night at how the tabby was absent from the den. Failing to resist her curiosity, Icecloud quietly stepped over the empty nests over to Cinderheart's. She lowered her head and took a deep breath.  
_Stale,_ Icecloud confirmed. _So where was she all night?_ Icecloud thought, still unsatisfied.

Not wanting to be found by her brother leaning over Cinderheart's nest, Icecloud quickly trotted to the entrance of the warriors den. Stepping outside, she bumped into Ivypool, causing her to drop the big clump of moss she had been carrying.

"Watch it," She hissed, gathering up the scraps of moss back together.

"Sorry!" Icecloud mewed. She pushed a few scraps of moss to Ivypool, trying to help as much as she could. Just as she had all the moss back together and tucked under her chin, Dovewing showed up, carrying her own clump of moss.

"Are you guy's cleaning out the nests?" Icecloud asked. Hers needed new moss anyways.

"No way!" Dovewing bristled "That's a job for Molepaw or Cherrypaw! We're moving into the warriors den- finally!"

Ivypool nudged her sister's shoulder "It's not for happy reasons, Dovewing," They continued on their way, already forgetting about Icecloud.

She shrugged it off and continued into the busy camp to find her brother. She was used to being forgotten, after all.

Icecloud found Foxleap near the entrance of the camp, watching something intently.

"Hey," he jumped at Icecloud's greeting. "Did Sandstorm and Dustpelt bury Thornclaw already?" Purdy was probably too old to bury anyone anytime soon, she thought.

"Er- ya, the just went outside." He meowed, side-stepping to block Icecloud's view of what he had been looking at a moment before.

Icecloud narrowed her eyes. "What are you hiding?" she asked, nonchalantly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Foxleap shot back at her.

Thinking this was nothing more than a game, Icecloud leapt at her brother, and catching him off guard, caused him to rear up partially on his hind legs before losing his balance, and falling over very clumsily. Icecloud landed neatly next to him, not once touching her brother. Purring in victory, Icecloud looked over at what her brother had been hiding. One heartbeat was all it took for her smile of success to vanish.  
Two fox-length's in front of her, stood Cinderheart and Lionblaze. Cinderheart was whispering something into Lionblaze's ear.  
_This is not happening._  
Lionblaze smiled and purred so loud that Icecloud could hear it from where she stood, frozen to the spot.  
_This can't be real._  
He pulled her in closer to him with his tail, and licked her sweetly on the nose.  
_No._  
Foxleap scrambled to his paws and began nudging Icecloud to the camp entrance.

"Hey, come on Icecloud! Time to go hunting! Can't leave our clan hungry, can we?" Her brother's voice seemed to bring Icecloud back to the present, and she walked out of the camp on numb paws. Once they were far into the forest, Foxleap turned on her.

"What was that?"

"I...I don't know." Icecloud responded in a monotone voice

"Come on, Ice! I thought you were better than that! The second you see your crush hanging out with another she-cat, and you freeze?"

Icecloud winced.

"I saw you walking around camp when they were mates moons ago; you looked like your life had no meaning. Is that what you've come to? Does your whole life revolve around L-" He stopped himself. "...revolve around toms?"

"No," Icecloud whispered, her voice croaking like a toad."You're wrong,"

"Am I? Because I'm only stating facts."

"You don't know what you're talking about-"

"I think I do." Foxleap could have a solid, commanding voice when he wanted to. "Are you going to let this one tom take over your entire life?" He whispered more gently.

"I... n-no." Icecloud choked out. Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them out. Foxleap was right. It was silly how much she was letting Lionblaze control her life.  
_It's time to forget about him. I'm a strong, independent she-cat; I don't need a mate,_ Icecloud told herself firmly.

Foxleap remained silent while Icecloud worked things out in her head.

"I- I'm ok," Icecloud said weakly. "No, I'm fine." she assured her brother in a stronger voice.

"Ok then. So are we going to go hunting or what?" Foxleap meowed dismissively, waving his tail in the air.

Icecloud nodded, relieved of the subject change. "Ya, we're going hunting. How about by the lake? I hunted there yesterday, and the prey was good," Icecloud flicked her ears in the direction of the beach.

"Sounds good," Foxleap nodded, and they began walking down the slope to the lake.

"Oof!" the red tom exclaimed suddenly, tripping over a patch of brambles half-way down the slope. Icecloud let out a small mew of surprise, before leaning down to help her brother untangle himself.

"Watch where you're going," She mewed from the side of her mouth, gently removing a bramble with red-tufted fur still attached.

"Sorry," Foxleap apologized "I'm a bit tired, actually. I was out last night," He informed his sister, scrambling to his paws once all the brambles were removed.

_He was out?_ Icecloud thought _Maybe he saw Cinderheart!_ The white she-cat opened her mouth to ask her brother, but closed it quickly, remembering that she, supposedly, no longer cared about Lionblaze or Cinderheart. _I'm fine. I don't need to know what Cinderheart was doing out last night,_  
Icecloud couldn't help but purr and bound the rest of the way to the lake; ignoring the looks that Foxleap gave her. She felt like she was walking on clouds, _I don't need Lionblaze; and I don't care about Cinderheart. It doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone. _  
* * * *


	5. Part 4

Present

* * *

Blue eyes shone in the darkness. They began to glide closer, sliding over the forest floor like water over the mountains.  
_"Who's there?"_ An orange tom hissed into the night.

"It's just me," A gray she-cat slid into the moonlight.

The tom relaxed, letting his fur lay flat. "Oh, sorry Cinderheart. I didn't recognize you at first..."  
He trailed off.

The gray tabby flicked an ear and smiled softly "Is something wrong?"

The tom flattened his ears "Actually, yes. Something _is_ wrong."

Cinderheart took a few steps forward, moonlight sparkling off her pelt. "What is it? You can tell me,"

"It's you! You're the problem!" the orange tom was hissed. "You _fox-heart!_ I saw you- I saw you with him! How long did you think you could hide this from me?"

Cinderheart visibly flinched "I-I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Like _hell_ you don't!"

She glared at him "You're jumping to conclusions! I would never-"

"I _SAW_ you!" What started out as a peaceful night was turning into an all-out brawl- but instead of claws, they were using words.

"You were with that rot-food eating, piece of fox-dung-"

"Don't talk about him like that!" Cinderheart couldn't take it anymore. "Look, what we had was nice, but-"

"What we had? We were together for one night! Is that was I am to you? A _booty call?_"

Cinderheart ignored him. "-but what I have with him is different. I see myself settling down, and having a family with him. With you- I don't see it."

The orange tom snorted "Wait, you're dumping ME?"

Cinderheart nodded calmly. "Yes. I'm sorry-"

"No. It was a mistake to ever think you were something special- someone that I could relate to."

The orange tom turned around and began stalking back to the hollow. "I hope you two have a lovely relationship."

* * *

1 Moon later

* * *

_Beauty in all she is- even when pregnant._ Despite Icecloud's promise to her brother, she was now watching Lionblaze groom Cinderheart in the clearing. Cinderheart was now twice her weight; expecting kits any day now. And Lionblaze was beaming with excitement, overjoyed to be a father.

Not to say that Squirrelflight wasn't excited; her adoptive-son was going to have kits, but she was more annoyed than anything. Lionblaze had refused to go on patrol yesterday because Cinderheart was having chest pains. It turned out that she was fine, and Lionblaze got away with only a dirty look.

"Ok, Birchfall, I want you to lead a hunting patrol with Icecloud and Lionblaze. Yes, Lionblaze! Did you hear that? You're going on a hunting patrol!"

The golden tabby looked up from grooming Cinderheart. He stood up and walked over to the orange she-cat.  
"Uh, can I maybe skip out on this one? Cinderheart is ready to have our kit's any day now-"

"Nope!" Squirrelflight smiled "You're going on this patrol. I'll send someone if Cinderheart makes any progress. Now, move along! Look, you're making Icecloud wait! Move along!"

Lionblaze growled and spun away from the ginger she-cat, giving Icecloud a hard glare as he passed her.  
_What did I do?_ Icecloud drooped her ears and followed, dragging her paws. Birchfall rushed up to the front of the patrol, casting Icecloud a small look of pity as he brushed past her.  
_Toms!_  
While walking farther into the forest, Icecloud tried to forget about Lionblaze, and instead admired the scenery. Red, Orange, and yellow leaves covered the forest, turning it into a beautiful place to call home.

"Ok, lets stop here." Birchfall called back to her and Lionblaze; Lionblaze being a good fox-length ahead of Icecloud. "We can split up here. Meet back here at sunhigh- _yes,_ Lionblaze, sunhigh."

Lionblaze looked crestfallen, having to stay away from his mate for that long. But he stalked off into the underbrush a moment later, grumbling to himself. Birchfall walked off into the opposite direction, but Icecloud didn't move.

She kept her eyes glued on the spot where Lionblaze had left. Something about her had changed just then.  
For the last moon she had been trying her best to avoid Lionblaze- even in her thoughts, and dreams. But now- now she felt something click inside her.  
_This is stupid,_ Icecloud followed Lionblaze's path  
_He already has a mate- and any day now, kits also!_ She saw a flash of golden fur in the distance.  
_I'm really doing this, aren't I?_ Icecloud stopped behind some bushes, watching Lionblaze stalk something she couldn't see.

_One step closer..._

"Lionblaze!" Toadstep burst out from the bushes to the left of Icecloud, making her immediately retract her step; and the five steps before it. Stumbling over her own paws, Icecloud fell on her tail.

"Oof!" The white she-cat slowly stood up, looking down at her messy pelt in dismay. But that was soon the least of her worries.

"Why didn't you come to get me sooner?!" Icecloud heard some bushes rustle as Lionblaze ran away, then everything was silent.

She had lost her chance.

* * *

Lionblaze was nothing more than a golden blur running through the forest.  
_What use does having the power of stars in your paws have when I'm missing the birth of my own kits?_ He tore through brambles, and jumped over a fallen tree as if it were nothing more than a twig.  
_I'm going to miss it, I'm going to miss it, I'm going to miss it!_ Lionblaze skid through the tunnel entrance, yowling at the top of his lungs,

"I'm here Cinderheart! I'm here!" Ignoring the weird looks, He made a mad dash to the nursery, only to be blocked by Jayfeather.

"Let me in!" The orange tabby snarled

"Calm down," Jayfeather spoke smoothly, as if trying to smooth a kit's ruffled fur.

"My mate is having kits! You might not ever know what it's like, but it's kinda a big deal!"

Jayfeather said nothing, only stared at Lionblaze with his slightly unnerving blind gaze.

"Okay, I'm sorry." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other nervously. "But why can't I come in?"

"Cinderheart isn't giving birth yet," His brother replied calmly "She's having a bit of pain, The kits should be born tonight. Not right now." Jayfeather dragged his words out slowly so it sounded like he was talking to a kit. "Squirrelflight wanted to bring you in, because she made a promise to you. I wanted to keep you out, because you will only get in the way." The medicine cat unleashed his claws to scrape the ground. "So wait out here until nightfall- or better yet, go out and hunt for your clan! Your call,"

Jayfeather didn't need to finish. Lionblaze was already walking into the center of camp to wait for nightfall.

"Figures," The gray tabby muttered as he heard his brother walk away.

* * *

Night had eventually fallen, but for Lionblaze it felt like nine lifetimes. Just as Jayfeather had predicted, Cinderheart began to got into labor just when the stars were coming out. Lionblaze was constantly coming in and out of the Nursery, getting wet moss, herbs, and anything else Jayfeather could think of to get him out. But no one, not even Jayfeather, noticed the pair of Ice-blue eyes that watched them from the warriors den.

Icecloud sighed. _How could this happen?_ She buried her muzzle into her paws.

_Where did it go wrong?_ But when the white she-cat tried to look back on her life as an apprentice and young warrior everything seemed blurred except for when she was around Lionblaze. She tried to dig deeper into the memories, but could only pull out some vague pictures and feelings. _Heart beats fast, colors and promises- promises to myself that I would tell him._ Icecloud felt tears well up in her eyes, and looked up to keep them in. Through the tangle of branches and leaves that made up the roof of the warriors den, Icecloud could see the moon. A large beacon of light in the middle of all of Icecloud's despair.

Ferncloud once told her that she thought about naming Icecloud- Icekit at the time, Moonkit; because the white of the moon reminded her of Icecloud's white pelt. Now, looking at the moon so high in the sky, Icecloud couldn't take it. She wanted to scream- yowl her despair to the stars.  
But she didn't. She only stared with sad eyes at the moon, covered with the branches and leaves of the Warriors Den. Icecloud thought of the name Moonkit. She thought if her life would be different if that was her name. She thought of the real moon, so very far away, and herself. She thought of anything except Lionblaze.  
_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?_ Despite all that was going on, Icecloud had somehow managed to find sleep.  
It didn't last long.

Jayfeather hadn't delivered that many litters of kits, but he noticed one thing different about Cinderheart than the other queens he had assisted in giving birth-  
_Cinderheart wouldn't shut up._  
Jayfeather tried to be lenient, this was a first for her, and she was a bit young- but he had run out of patience, and sympathy, fast.

_"AHH!_ H-how much longer?!"

The blue tabby spoke through clenched teeth "You're kits will be born very shortly."

Cinderheart looked at her stomach and screeched. _"THERE'S BLOOD!_ Is that normal? Am I going to bleed to death?"

Brightheart, though also exasperated by the stressing queen, answered for Jayfeather. "Blood is very normal. We would be more worried if you weren't bleeding."

Ignoring Brightheart, Cinderheart frantically glanced at Poppyfrost. "Did you bleed this much when you kitted?"

Poppyfrost ran her tail soothingly across Cinderheart's back "I believe I did," she mewed smoothly.

Sorreltail sat in the corner trying to occupy the five kits already present in the nursery, some of witch ready to become apprentices; while Brightheart helped Jayfeather and Poppyfrost was there to give her sister moral support.  
But everyone in the Nursery was sick of her.

"Is she dying?"

"Hush, Dewkit. Cinderheart is fine-"

"She doesn't look like it!" A silver she-kit piped in, climbing on top of Sorrletail's tail to get a better look at the high-strung queen.

"Amberkit!" Sorrletail abruptly raised her tail, causing the kit to fall backwards.

"Ow! Mommy, Sorrletail is mean!"

"Amberkit, behave yourself and listen to Sorrletail." Brightheart sighed "I pity the cat who has to mentor her,"

Cinderheart screeched at the top of her lungs without warning.

"Okay, first kit is coming. You only have two, so _relax,_"  
Jayfeather's attempts proved once again, useless, and his words drowned out by Cinderheart's screeching.

"Is everything ok in there?! Cinderheart! Are you ok?!"  
Jayfeather tuned around and snarled at Lionblaze as he entered the nursery, causing his brother to stop suddenly.

"Stay. _Out._" For once, Lionblaze obeyed his brother.

"I love you Cinderheart!" He called over Jayfeather's shoulder before stepping out.

Trying to flatten his fur, the blind tabby turned back to Cinderheart, who, unsurprisingly, was still screaming. Poppyfrost was still trying to calm her down; but to no avail. Brightheart had already given up, and was instead rubbing the gray queens stomach, trying to ease the kits out. Eventually the first one was born. Jayfeather nipped open the small casing engulfing the kit, and passed it over to Cinderheart.

"Cinderheart, I swear to Starclan, stop screeching and take care of your kit!"  
Starclan must have heard his prayers, for the frantic queen did as he asked and begun licking breath into the small bundle.

Poppyfrost leaned down to purr in her sister's ear. "Congratulations on your son."  
But Jayfeather sensed hesitation coming off of the tortoiseshell she-cat.  
_What's wrong with her?_ Jayfeather's attention was quickly drawn away as the second kit was born.

Jayfeather nipped open the case again, and began licking this one himself. He heard Brightheart gasp at the same time the she-kit brought in her first breath of air. Carefully, Jayfeather picked her up and set her by her brother; at Cinderheart's belly.  
Brightheart leaned over and hissed in his ear.

"Jayfeather, I need to talk to you."

The medicine cat flicked his tail distractedly. He was hovering over the kits, breathing in their scent.  
_Something isn't right..._ The kits seemed healthy, but something about them seemed... off. He gingerly reached out to Cinderheart's mind to see if she would reveal anything to him.

_...oh. _

* * * *  
_How dare Jayfeather not let me see my mate give birth? Is something wrong with her?_ Lionblaze paced back and forth across the clearing. It was already moon high, and he wanted nothing more than to see his mate and kits. _I'm going to be a father,_ Lionblaze thought proudly. _I _am _a father. The kits must be born now._ as if on cue, Jayfeather stepped outside the nursery.

Lionblaze came bounding over "Is she ok? And the kits?"Jayfeather took a deep breath, and Lionblaze felt a stab of fear hit his heart.

"Cinderheart is fine. So are her kits. Just... don't get your hopes up."

"What is that supposed to mean? You said they were fine!" Lionblaze was already on the verge of panic.

"They are, Cinderheart is healthy, if not tired. The kits are great. Just... oh geeze, Lionblaze. I'm sorry-"

Lionblaze pushed past his brother, and entered the nursery, expecting the worst. But as soon as he pushed in his head, and scented the warm milk scent, all of his worries left his mind, and he began purring uncontrollably. The golden tabby tom ran up to Cinderheart and nuzzled her sweetly. He curled his tail around her neck without even looking at the kits.

"Lionblaze..." Cinderheart's voice was laced with nervousness.

"What's wrong, love? Are the kits-" Just as Lionblaze looked down, his heart stopped. He just sat there, his tail still wrapped around Cinderheart, staring at their kits.

"L- Lionblaze...? Aren't our k-kits b-beautiful...?" Lionblaze didn't respond at first.

"Cinderheart..."

"Y-yes, love?"

"These aren't my kits."


	6. Part 5

"These aren't my kits." Lionblaze repeated slowly, feeling the words in his mouth.

"Of c-course they are!" Cinderheart shifted uneasily, causing the tom kit to fall back. He mewed in distress until Cinderheart leaned over to nudge him back to his sister.

_Oh Starclan..._

"These aren't my kits!" Lionblaze finally seemed to realize his words and stepped away from Cinderheart suddenly, disgusted. "Who's are they? Who's kits-"

Cinderheart didn't need to answer.

The tom was white with black ears and paws- No one in Lionblaze's or Cinderheart's families had a white pelt. But seeing the she-kit, it was all too clear as to who the father of these kit's was.

The she-kit was a reddish-orange tabby with black paws. She looked exactly like her father-

Lionblaze dug his claws into the soft moss of the Nursery. "_Foxleap,"_

* * *

Icecloud's sleep didn't last long. Not because there was a screeching she-cat giving birth, but because she was awoken when someone crashed into the Warriors den and tried to kill her brother.

Icecloud's eyes opened suddenly as she heard loud footsteps, and a loud yowl of pain. Everyone else in the Warriors den woke up just as Icecloud did, yowling in alarm and scurrying to their paws to see what was happening.

The white she-cat frantically pushed past the bodies circled around the two fighting cats.  
_Who is fighting this late at night? _Icecloud made it to the front of the crowd eventually, and what she saw made her blood run cold.

Lionblaze had Foxleap pinned down, claws tickling his throat. The white she-cat only heard the end of what Lionblaze was saying to her brother.

"-you. You son of a bitch. You are _dead._"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Foxleap's voice was high-pitched with fear. "I-I didn't do anything, I swear!"

Lionblaze snorted, unamused. "You really don't get it?" The golden tabby leaned down next to Foxleap's ear, but hissed loud enough for everyone in the Den to hear.  
_"The kits are _yours."

Icecloud didn't understand what he meant, but her brother must have, because his eyes widened even more than they had previously, and he simply whimpered.

"Lionblaze! Stop this at once!" Squirrelflight stepped up in front of the crowd of Warriors. "Get off your clan mate _now!_"

"What's wrong with you!?"

"Leave Foxleap alone!"

"He's gone insane!"

Lionblaze ignored his clanmates, keeping his gaze focused on Foxleap.

Icecloud was still frozen place. The two most important toms in her life- Her brother and the love of her life, were fighting- if you could call, 'Lionblaze about to kill Foxleap' fighting.

Her mind was blank. _Do I have to choose? _She could no longer feel the ground under her paws. _Oh Starclan, why? _Icecloud felt as if she might faint.

But she didn't. A loud ringing filler her ears, blocking out the sounds of her screeching clanmates. Icecloud crouched down, her tail swishing back and forth. She leaped.

* * *

Lionblaze pushed through the nursery entrance, impervious to the brambles that pulled at his pelt. He was dimly aware of Jayfeather walking by his side, trying to tell him something.  
The golden tom ignored his brother.  
He pushed through the Warriors den, his claws unleashed, ready to kill.

He spotted his target almost immediately. Foxleap was sleeping, just like everyone else. He stalked up to the reddish-orange tom, and let everything else in the den fade away. His sleeping clanmates, the fresh night air, the moss beneath his paws. He lets everything go- but not Foxleap.

He was going to kill him.

Foxleap stole his mate, he stole his kits- _Foxleap,_ was to blame for everything. With a yowl, Lionblaze pounced on the other tom as if he were prey, running his claws down his side.

At the first contact of claws on flesh, Foxleap woke up howling in pain. Somehow, he was able to push off Lionblaze and scramble out of his nest.

Lionblaze landed neatly on his paws, his back facing Foxleap for only a moment, as he immediately spun around. Foxleap hadn't even found his footing when Lionblaze leaped at him again, making both of them go flying to the back of the warriors den. Foxleap took the majority of the blow, slamming into the base of the cliff that was the back of the Warriors den. He fell down with the dust and pebbles knocked free from the cliffbase, groaning as he raised his head.

Lionblaze was dimly aware of everyone else waking up and shouting, but he forced it to the back of his mind again.

_This is too easy,_ The golden tom once again leaped on the downed tom, planting his front paws on either side of his head and running his back foot down Foxleap's exposed stomach.

Screeching in pain and effort, Foxleap managed to raise his hind legs to kick off his attacker. Again, Lionblaze landed on his paws. By now every warrior in the clan was watching the fight. Foxleap slowly stood up on shaky legs.

"L- Lionblaze...?"

Not giving him another chance to talk, Lionblaze ran over and swiped his cheek, to fast for him to react. Foxleap staged back from the blow, bumping into the wall behind him. Lionblaze realized, with a sadistic smile, that the other tom was cornered. He leaped in Foxleap's direction again, already picturing his next move. Foxleap hurriedly dove under Lionblaze's flying form, trying to get into the safety of his clanmates that weren't trying to kill him.

Already predicting this, Lionblaze leaped off of the wall as just as he landed on it, turning around, and fell on top of Foxleap once more. Not expecting this, the red-orange tom collapsed under the sudden weight of his attacker. Desperately, he tried to roll out of Lionblaze's grip; but he only succeeded in rolling onto his back, exposing his stomach and neck to the golden tabby. And not wasting his perfect opportunity, Lionblaze set down his paw, claws still unleashed, onto Foxleap's neck while his other paw held down his shoulder at an awkward angle.

He had Foxleap pinned down; trapped, with no escape.

"You..." Lionblaze hissed, his words sounding as deadly as poison. "You don't know how much I _loath_ you. You son of a bitch. You are _dead._"

Foxleap replied desperately, Lionblaze's claws tickling his throat. "I-I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't do anything, I swear!"

Lionblaze snorted, although he was as far from amused as possible. "You really don't get it?" The golden tabby leaned down next to Foxleap's ear, but hissed loud enough for everyone in the den to hear.  
_"The kits are _yours."

Lionblaze pushed down harder on Foxleap's neck, not enough to kill him, but hard enough to draw blood. Foxleap whimpered pathetically. Lionblaze heard shouting, but nothing could stop him from killing this poor excuse for a cat.

And he was about to kill him, with no remorse- until he felt the breath being driven out of him, and he landed on the ground with a thud. The tables had been turned, the clan hushed, and now he was being pinned down.

A loud yowl drowned out the last of the shouting, and the clan grew as silent as a sleeping kit. Lionblaze looked up at his attacker.  
_...Icecloud?_

"What do you think you're doing?!" The white she-cat screeched on the top of her lungs. "I can't let you kill my brother! I won't let you take him away from me!" She had bloodshot eyes, but her claws were still sheathed. Lionblaze could have easily pushed her off and finished his task, but what she had said stirred something in his memory. Everyone was silent for a long while.

"Icecloud, you can get off of Lionblaze now." Lionblaze strained his neck to see who had spoken. He saw Cherrypaw- she must have come in without him noticing- crouched over her bleeding mentor, Foxleap. And Bramblestar had also come in; no doubt woken up from all the screeching and yowling.

"It's ok Icecloud, We can take care of him now." Bramblestar repeated.

"Like hell I'm letting him go! He's going to kill my brother!"

"He won't hurt Foxleap again, I can promise you that."  
Lionblaze fattened his ears. _You can't promise anything for me!_

Icecloud reluctantly stepped away from Lionblaze, allowing him to roll over on his stomach.

Everyone in the warriors den glared at him, silent. The golden tabby flattened his ears. Jayfeather came in, ignoring everyone and heading strait for Foxleap's still form. Lionblaze's breath caught in his throat for a moment. _He's not really dead, is he?_

But just as he was thinking it, Foxleap's tail twitched. Lionblaze didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed.

Bramblestar finally spoke up again. "Lionblaze, I think that we would all like to know why you attacked you Clan-mate at moon high."  
Suspicious mutters swept through the clan. Cherrypaw ran out of the den to get herbs for her mentor upon Jayfeather's quiet request.

The golden tabby growled, "They were _his_." Lionblaze practically spat out the words.

"I don't understand."

Lionblaze stood up suddenly, his tail fluffed out until it was twice the size it was normally. Some of the other Warriors flinched at his sudden movement, others hissed at him. "The kit's were his! Cinderheart gave birth to _his kits!_"

The clan was silent, not sure what to think. Foxleap began to stand up, Jayfeather let the other tom lean on him for support. Foxleap's green eye's glowed in the darkness.

"I-I'm sorry, Lionblaze. I don't know h-how- I mean, we were together for only one night, then the next day, you and her got together again- I'm so s-sorry, I really am."

Lionblaze stayed silent.

Hesitantly, Foxleap added "T-they can be your kits, If you want."

Lionblaze didn't understand at first, then realization dawned upon him like a badger coming out of the shadows.

"I won't have anything to do with them. I-I won't speak with them, hunt with them-"

"No." Lionblaze was shocked at how steady his voice was. It couldn't last for long. "They're your kits." Lionblaze stepped forward. Squirrelflight tried to stop him, but Bramblestar blocked her with his tail, watching Lionblaze with narrowed eyes.

"Just be a hell of a good father to those kit's." Lionblaze felt his voice starting to shake "They're beautiful," He couldn't take it. His voice cracked violently on the work 'beautiful', and he fell to the cold ground, sobbing.

* * *

_Wow guys! I didn't expect this to be this popular- 131 views and counting! Thank you all so, so much I'll try to work on something else soon, to show you my full extent as a writer! _


	7. Part 6

Lionblaze was laying in front of the warriors den, soaking up the weak rays of warmth from the leaf-bare sun. He pawed the sand unconsciously; it had become a habit for him. That's what happened when you're confined in the hollow for two moons, one would guess.

Oh right; that.

Lionblaze sighed heavily and rolled onto his side. After his little 'brawl' with Foxleap, His punishment rested on Foxleap's conditions. To put it bluntly, if Foxleap survived, Bramblestar would deiced Lionblaze's punishment. If he had died, Lionblaze would have been banished. Even now the golden tabby winced just thinking about it. But Jayfeather had made sure Foxleap pulled through, much to Lionblaze's relief. And keeping his promise, as soon as Foxleap was able to walk again, (nine sunrises after Lionblaze's attack,) Foxleap had a little 'talk' with Cinderheart.

Everyone in the clan heard their talk. It lasted from sunhigh to sunset, and at one point Cinderheart had run out to find Bramblestar and bring him into the conversation; apparently Foxleap didn't want her to have anything to do with the kits. Later, Foxleap had Jayfeather join the argument (to see if there were any herbs that they could give Brightheart to allow her to feed his kits). And lastly, Jayfeather had asked for help from Leafpool at one point (to clarify his awkward confusion). But by the end of the day, they had reached their discussion.

Foxleap had turned out to be the victor in the argument, and Cinderheart moved back into the warriors den. Foxleap had gained full custody over the kits- Cinderheart was to have nothing to do with them. She was not allowed to raise their kits, as a kind of punishment. Foxleap was very persistant, while Cinderheart relented without much of a fight. And with extra helpings of borage, Brightheart was able to feed Foxleap's kits since Dewkit, Amberkit, and Snowkit were starting to eat solid food now. Berrynose had been training Cherrypaw in Foxleap's absence, and life had gone on as normal.

But then there was Lionblaze's punishment.

Until Foxleap was well enough to walk, Lionblaze had to sleep outside of the warriors den, in the hollow. Bramblestar mentioned something about not wanting more of his warriors attacked in the middle of the night, Lionblaze recalled. And after it was clear Foxleap was going to survive, Bramblestar sentenced him to two moons of confinement in the hollow. It would have been more, But it was leaf-bare now, and Bramblestar needed warriors for hunting. Lionblaze also had to do all of the apprentices chores, and he wasn't even permitted to collect his own moss. He had to take moss from Jayfeather's den; which was now was only home to the blue tabby and Briarlight since Spiderleg dyed due to his infected wound.

But now, almost two moons later, Lionblaze waited anxiously for the sun to set and for it to rise the next day, because after the gathering tonight, he would be able to roam freely in the forest once more.

"Rawr! I'm gonna get you!"

"Eeep!"

Lionblaze looked up at the familiar mew. Icecloud was in the clearing, playing with Foxleap's kits.

"Ooh, you look like a tasty meal," With one paw, Icecloud held down the she-kit that looked exactly like her father, but for the amber eyes. Icecloud had named her Vixenkit.

"No! Help! Daddy!" The orange-red kit wailed

Foxleap sat outside the medicine cat's den as Jayfeather examined how his wounds were healing. He raised his head when he heard his kit calling for help.  
"Sorry Vixenkit, I'm a bit held up. Basilkit, go help your sister!"

No sooner had he spoken then the small black and white kit leaped onto his aunt's tail.  
"Let her go! It's ok Vixenkit, I'm saving you!"

Icecloud released the small she-kit trapped under her paw and spun around to face Foxleap's second kit, Basilkit. Foxleap had named him; after being in the medicine cat's den for a while, that was the only name he could think of. He had been awkward around his kit's at first, Lionblaze reflected, insisting that Icecloud help him name them.

"Run!" Basilkit squealed in terror at Icecloud as she began chasing him around the clearing. Vixenkit soon joined her brother, both of them screaming in mock terror.

Icecloud's movement were smooth and steady, her muscle rippling under her beautiful white pelt. Her eyes, deep blue like the lake, were lit up in joy and love. If only she was looking at Lionblaze with those eyes-  
_Wait, what?_

Lionblaze shook his head. All this time in camp was getting to him. He stood up to stretch; his ray of sunlight had since vanished without him noticing. Just as he was shaking the sand out of his pelt, he heard a small yowl of surprise, and looked over at the nursery to see that Foxleap had tackled and pinned down his sister, allowing his kits to follow suite and dive at her with tiny claws unsheathed; which tickled her more than hurt her, from the sound of her cute laughter.  
_Wait, what did I just think?_

"So I hear you're trying to eat my kits," Foxleap growled at Icecloud playfully.

Between fits of giggles, Icecloud managed to choke out, "N-no! I..I would n-ne-never..." another fit of laughter as Vixenkit jumped off of her stomach and onto her head, attacking her ears.  
Icecloud lifted a paw and easily brushed the kit off, and Foxleap stepped back, allowing Icecloud to get up. Basilkit hung on tightly to Icecloud's side, squeaking in fear as he rose off the ground. Icecloud winced slightly.  
"Ow. Your claws are getting sharper," Foxleap grabbed the kit's scruff and picked him off of the white she-cats side, setting him down next to his sister.

"Awwww, daddy! I wanna play some more!" Vixenkit whine was matched by her brother's.

"Later. Right now you two need to take a nap."

"But I don't want to miss Seedkit's and Lilykit's Ceremony!" Basilkit wailed as Foxleap began to herd them into the nursery.  
"Me neither!" Lionblaze couldn't help but smile. Vixenkit never could be left out of an argument. Or a play fight. Or anything, really.

"I'll wake you up," Foxleap promised his kits.

"And I'll remind him to remind you guys!" Icecloud called to them before they disappeared into the brambles that surrounded the nursery.

Lionblaze blinked, suddenly worrying that someone had seen him watching the kits. He trotted closer to the entrance of the camp, following the rays of light and warmth on their journey across the camp. Sighing, he lay down again. He had already cleaned out the elders bedding that morning, as well as the apprentices bedding, and all the Warriors bedding; so he could spend the last few hours of the daylight relaxing.

Instead, he had spent it watching the kits that should have been his.

* * *

"Mousewhisker, you are ready to take on your own apprentice. You had received excellent training from Spiderleg, may we honor his memory, and you have shown yourself to be noble and brave. You will be the mentor of Seedpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Mousewhisker humbly walked up to a wide-eyed Seedpaw, and they touched noses.  
"Seedpaw! Lilypaw! Seedpaw! Lilypaw!"

Icecloud called out their names as earnestly as any other of her clanmates, although she was a bit jealous that she had not been chosen to mentor one of them. _Next time, _She thought earnestly.

Seedpaw ran over to join her sister, newly named Lilypaw, with her mentor, Blossomfall.

"Seedpaw! Lilypaw! Seedpaw! Lilypaw!"  
Vixenkit and Basilkit still crowed their old den mates names to the slowly-darkening sky, heedless to Foxleap's attempts to quiet them down.

Icecloud purred at her brother's misfortune. What she really wanted was to mentor one of his kits, but they were kin, so Icecloud doubted her chances. Although needless to say, Icecloud loved Vixenkit and Basilkit to pieces.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lionblaze get up and walk into the warriors den. Of course, he wouldn't be going to the gathering tonight. Icecloud wasn't going either, but that was her own choice. After the night she saved her brother, she has been too embarrassed to even slightly look at Lionblaze; even now, her pelt felt hot as he walked past her. Trying to distract herself from the handsome tom, Icecloud walked over to her brother. He always distracted her when she needed it.

"Icecloud!" Basilkit was the first one to spot her coming over. He ran over to her, tripping on his own paws in the proses, and tumbling head over tail in the dust.  
"Hi Icecloud!" scrambling over her fallen brother, Vixenkit was the first to reach her side.  
Foxleap shook his head.

"Could you get them to bed for me? I have to check up with Jayfeather," The orange-red tom waved his tail in the direction of the medicine cat's den idly.

Icecloud purred as Basilkit scrambled to his paws and pounced on his sister's tail in revenge. "Sure, and I'll make sure they eat too."

Foxleap dipped his head, relieved "Thanks, Ice."

As their father walked away, Basilkit asked "Are we gunna havta eat solid food again?"

Vixenkit match her brother's pout "I want milk!"

Icecloud stood up and began walking to the fresh-kill pile. "Sorry, you're _'gunna havta'_ eat a mouse."  
The kits whined in union as they stood up to follow her.

"Sorry, but Brightheart is out of milk!" Not that she had much to begin with.  
Icecloud picked a mouse out of the fresh-kill pile, and set it down for them to sniff. "Are you going to be able to chew it your self's?"

Vixenkit shook her head "uh-uhh."

Sighing, Icecloud laid down and took a bite of the kill, chewing it for the kits. When she thought it suffice, she set down the softened chunk of meat and gestured for the kits to eat it. After sniffing it thoroughly, they finally began to nibble off little pieces.  
Icecloud took another bite of mouse, and when it was softened enough, put it next to the other piece which was already almost gone.

She continued this proses uninterrupted, until she felt herself being watched. Slowly tilting her head to the warriors den, where she saw Cinderheart's cold gaze boring into Icecloud's white pelt. Icecloud shivered.

"Moar!"

Icecloud looked back at the kits, who had already eaten most of the mouse.

"Try to chew the rest by your self's, I need to go do something." Leaving before they had a chance to complain, Icecloud trotted over to the warriors den.

Outside it, Cinderheart sat, her eyes never leaving Icecloud's pelt. Feeling slightly brave, Icecloud walked straight to her.

"Is something wrong, Cinderheart?" Icecloud asked it politely. No need to start a fight over nothing.

"Yes, something is wrong." Cinderheart snarled back.

_Well then._ Icecloud took a step back in surprise, and Cinderheart stood up, bristling.

"I don't mind leaving the nursery early, and I don't mind not raising those little balls of dirt- but I do mind _you._"

Icecloud took another step back. "Look, I don't want to start a fight-"

Cinderheart took a step forward, matching her. "You're always playing with _my_ kits, feeding _my_ kits, taking care of _my_ kits- well if I can't raise them, you shouldn't either!"

Icecloud was shocked. "But you just said you- What do you mean, I shouldn't raise them? Their my kin!"

"Their _my_ kits," Cinderheart hissed, leaning in closer to Icecloud's ear. "And I'm telling you to back off."

"That's enough." Lionblaze stepped forward, pushing Cinderheart back and standing in between the quarreling she-cats. Icecloud hadn't notice him come out.

Cinderheart turned her harsh gaze on Lionblaze, then after realizing it was him, let her ears fall back and her gaze soften dramatically.

"Lionblaze, love-"

"Shut up, Cinderheart. I've told you we're not mate's anymore-"

"But you were only joking!" Cinderheart's voice purred with laughter, making Icecloud want to hurl.

Lionblaze growled. "You really think that I would want to stay mates with you? After you lied to me and cheated on me? After you gave birth to kit's that weren't mine?"

Cinderheart looked up thoughtfully. "um- oh, right! That! You still remember that? Why would someone dwell on such a silly thing, that happened moons ago!"

"I heard you talking about it with Icecloud." A familiar hot feeling crept up her pelt as Lionblaze stepped back, allowing Cinderheart's and Icecloud's gaze's to meet again.

"We were only talking about how nicely the kit's were growing! Seriously, Lionblaze; why are you so suspicious? It's not like I'm cheating on you or anyth-" Cinderheart cut off her sentence, too late realizing her mistake. For a long while, Lionblaze just stared at her. Cinderheart looked back at him with wide, innocent-looking eyes laced with nervousness.

But in the end, Lionblaze stalked away, back into the Warriors den. Cinderheart looked absolutely crestfallen, and Icecloud couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her. Until Cinderheart looked back at her, her eye's once again alight in hate. She opened her mouth to say something, but Bramblestar's call interrupted her.

"Cats of Thunderclan! It is time to leave for the gathering!" The sun had finally finished it's journey across the sky, and Silverpelt was beginning to show.

"Don't think this is over," Cinderheart hissed as she stalked over to join her clanmates.

Soon, the cat's leaving for the gathering had all gone, and the hollow was quiet once more. And Icecloud could once again think.  
_What just happened? Cinderheart was talking as if she barely even cared about her kits- _With a start, Icecloud realized that she had forgotten completely about Basilkit and Vixenkit.

Her heart sunk to her paws as she saw that the clearing by the fresh-kill pile where she had left them was now empty, with only the mouse bone's and fur to prove that they were ever there. She trotted over to the nursery, not wanting to cause a scene if they were safe.

Sticking her head inside, Icecloud sighed in relief when she spotted their sleeping forms snuggled against Brightheart's belly with Dewkit, Amberkit, and Snowkit. Icecloud made a note to thank Brightheart later. Icecloud quietly pulled out her head, not wanting to wake the queen and the kits.

"How are they?" Startled, Icecloud spun around to face Foxleap.

"Starclan! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Icecloud licked her chest, trying to flatten her ruffled fur. "They're fine," she paused raising her head to look into her brother's eyes. "More than fine. They're perfect. You're one lucky tom," Icecloud swatted her brother over the ears playfully.

Purring, Foxleap ducked his head in the nursery, just to be sure. After a couple heartbeats, he pulled his head back, eyes glowing with love.  
"I wish they would be kits forever. They really are perfect."

Icecloud felt the need to remind him, "Kit's become Warriors. One day you will be battling alongside them,"

Foxleap's gaze lost it's soft glow, and Icecloud's words were met with silence. Then, he turned back so he was facing the nursery again, and almost too quiet for Icecloud to hear, whispered, "I will not let anything take away what's in front of me."

Icecloud rested her tail on her brother's shoulder, and lead him away, into the Warrior's den for sleep. Once they were inside, and settling down to sleep, Icecloud noticed something. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a small movement.

It was Lionblaze, shifting to try and get comfortable in his nest. He was still awake. With a slight hesitation, Icecloud walked over to his nest, stepping over Daisy and Toadstep's sleeping forms- they were the only other Warrior's not going to the gathering.

Reaching Lionblaze's nest, the golden tom raised his head, hearing her approach.  
"Icecloud? Is that you?"

"Er- Yea, It's me." Suddenly Icecloud felt like a mouse-brain for walking over there. What was she going to say?

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh- no, nothing's wrong." She paused, feeling like the stupidest cat in the clan. Possibly around the whole lake. "I-uh, wanted to thank you. For getting Cinderheart off my tail- you know, metaphorically. As in, stopping her before she pounced on me." _Smooth._

Luckily for Icecloud, Lionblaze was half-asleep, so he didn't hear half of what she said anyways. "Huh? Oh, It's no problem. Cinderheart just needs to calm down..." Then, Lionblaze lost all will to talked about his ex-mate and fell silent.

After a few heartbeats- the most embarrassing moments in Icecloud's entire life- Lionblaze spoke again.

"_Ahem- _Uh, yea. It was no problem."

Icecloud dipper her head. "Still, Thank you." She straightened up again, and before she could embarrass herself anymore, mewed a goodnight and walked back to her own nest. Foxleap, in a nest next to Icecloud's, raised an eyebrow as she came back. She kindly stuck her tongue out at him in return.

Curling up in her nest, the white she-cat couldn't help but smile as she drifted off to sleep.


	8. Part 7

_Finally!_  
Lionblaze stretched joyfully outside of the warriors den. He hadn't meant to oversleep; he had planned to tag along on the dawn patrol. But he woke up long after it had left, which was fine, because in the end, all he wanted to do was run. Feel the leaf's brushing his pelt, the breeze in his ears, and the fresh clean scent of the lake.

He began grooming himself, allowing his mind to drift off into mindless thought. _I think I'll go hunting. After a nice run by the lake, and through the forest. _Lionblaze smiled subconsciously as he finished up his grooming. Now all he had to do was wake Cinderheart and-

_Oh. Right._

Lionblaze backed up from the warrior's den until he was standing in the middle of the camp. He felt like hitting his head on a tree for being so stupid. Ever since that first night he went out with Cinderheart, he had never gone out alone for walks or hunting. He knew that it sounded silly, but he had always gone with Cinderheart. Needless to say, that was out of the question now.

_So should I go alone?_

The answer was obvious; he was tired of being alone. For the last two moons, everyone had been avoiding him, too scared to even speak with him most of the time. Ever since he attacked Foxleap, everyone had treated him like a stranger or the traitor that he was. So who would go hunting with him?

His thoughts were interrupted when someone emerged from the den. _Icecloud?_

Of course! Why had he not thought to ask her sooner? She had spoken to him last night- if she's willing to speak with him, maybe she's willing to hunt with him as well.

"Hey, Icecloud!" Lionblaze called over to her as she licked a white paw. Icecloud looked up, and the shock on her face was obvious. _Maybe this wasn't a good idea, Foxleap is her brother... _but it was too late to back out now.

"H-hey Lionblaze. Is something wrong?"

_Why would she assume that? _"Nope! I was just wondering if you wanted to go hunting; today is the day that my punishment is lifted."

"Oh!" Icecloud blinked, attempting to be friendly. "Well, that's good. Congratulations," She turned back to cleaning her paws.

"...well? Do you?"

"Huh?" Icecloud looked up again.

"Do you want to go hunting with me?" If she turned him down, Lionblaze didn't know what he would do.

"Oh! Uh- Yea, sure!" For some reason, her pelt began to fluff up. Lionblaze felt his hopes drop. _Does she think that I'm forcing her?_

"You don't have to, If you don't want to." Lionblaze reminded her, just in case.

"N-no, It's fine. I would enjoy hunting with you, Lionblaze." She licked her chest, trying to flatten her fur as if to further prove her point that she was willing.

"Really?" Lionblaze tried, unsuccessfully, to keep his excitement out of his voice.

"Uh- yea. Why not?"

_Because I tried to kill your brother._ "Never mind. So you ready to go?"

"What, right now?"

"Sure! I don't see any reason to wait,"

Icecloud lowered her gaze and stood up, stretching one last time before they left. "Ok, then. I guess I'm ready."

"That's great!" Lionblaze purred. He would have to make the best out of this, he decided firmly.

Icecloud straightened up and surprised Lionblaze by bounding over to the camp entrance. "I'll race ya to the lake!" she called over her shoulder.

_Oh, you're going to regret that. _Lionblaze dashed after Icecloud as she disappeared into the camp entrance. But as he emerged into the forest, he stopped abruptly.

Birdsong filled his ears, a chilly breeze flew by his ears, and the scent- a sharp, and cold scent that made his mind grow fuzzy with pure joy. Never before had he noticed the huge difference of being inside the camp and out.

"Lionblaze?" Icecloud's white head popped out of the bushes outside the small clearing surrounding the camp entrance. "You ok?"

"Perfect," He purred. And before Icecloud could respond, Lionblaze dashed into the forest, leaving Icecloud confused and scrambling to catch up.

* * *

_Treat him like you would treat Foxleap, _That was Icecloud's strategy. Sure, It seemed gross- treating your lifetime love like your brother, but Icecloud wanted to be friendly with Lionblaze, not awkward. And the only tom she was ever friendly with was Foxleap.

Pulse, her brother always found ways to make Icecloud feel more confident.

_Confidence is what I need._ Icecloud decided firmly.

The white she-cat saw a flash of orange fur in the bushes ahead of her.  
_I'm gaining on him,_ Despite all of the turmoil going on in her head, Icecloud smiled. She always beat her brother in races, and even with a head start, she was going to beat Lionblaze.

With new determination, Icecloud tore through the foliage, gaining on Lionblaze with each stride. She caught a glimpse the golden tom leaping over a fallen tree in their path. _I'm smaller than him, so I should be able to..._ Without completing her thought, Icecloud neatly dove underneath the tree that Lionblaze had just leaped over, leaving only a couple tufts of white fur behind.

Now Lionblaze was completely in her view. But just beyond, Icecloud could see the Ancient Oak. _We'll be at the lake a lot sooner than I imagined, _Icecloud thought. _I'll just have to go even faster._

Icecloud smiled again, forcing her legs to propel herself even faster. She fought for breath, but she couldn't give up now. With the last of her energy, Icecloud sprinted past the Ancient Oak, and a surprised Lionblaze, just in time to make it to the beach.

With a victory yowl, Icecloud Leaped out of the trees and onto the sand, skidding to a halt, not caring in the least if she got her pelt messy.

"Yes!" Icecloud sat down heavily, panting. "In... your... face!" Icecloud turned to smile smugly at Lionblaze, hunched over and panting a fox-length behind The Victor.

"How... how did you beat me?" Lionblaze responded as he caught his breath. "You were so fast!"

Just one compliment was enough to make Icecloud's walls come tumbling down. She looked down, blushing under her fur. "T-Thanks."

Lionblaze and Icecloud were both quiet for a while after that. Catching their breaths, and enjoying each others company.

"So what do you what to do now?" Lionblaze asked after a few moments.

"I don't know, hunting?" Icecloud looked back up, unable to keep a faint smile away.

"Nah." A pause "If it's ok with you, can we just walk?"

The white she-cat blinked. "Uh- sure! Sounds fine," Icecloud stood up and licked a piece of moss out of her chest fur.

"Great," Lionblaze stood up also. "Witch way do you want to go?"

Icecloud looked along the pebble beach, speculating if they were closer to the Windclan border or Shadowclan's. "Lets walk to the Shadowclan border," Icecloud decided. Windclan's border was closer to them, and she wanted to savor her time with the golden tom.

Lionblaze scrunched up his nose.

"We're not going to go in their territory," Icecloud mewed, rolling her eyes. "We can go into the forest before we get close enough to smell their stench."

"Sounds like a plan," Lionblaze stretched, his muscles rippling under his golden pelt. Not wanting to be caught staring, Icecloud looked away, feeling hot. "So you ready?"

Icecloud looked back up, suppressing her blush. "Yep!"

They began their walk in an awkward silence. _What do I say? Starclan, this is so embarrassing..._

"So, uh- how have you been? We haven't talked much since we were in the nursery together," Icecloud regretted the question as soon as she said it. They were in the same clan, so she knew almost everything about him already.

But Lionblaze merely shrugged. "Well besides these last two moons, I haven't done anything exciting other than hang out with Cinderheart,"

Another awkward silence.

"I...I'm sorry, Lionblaze. I'm sorry for what happened to you- you and Cinderheart. She hasn't been acting like herself recently, a-and she shouldn't have cheated on you, and Foxleap shouldn't have seen her. He didn't know you two had made up, you know- but that's no excuse." Icecloud was sure that her blush was showing through her fur by now. Curse her thin white pelt! "I can't speak for my brother- but I know that he never meant to hurt you, or Cinderheart. I will never know what he was thinking, but I know that he is so sorry." Icecloud paused "...a-and he kept his promise. He loves Vixenkit and Basilkit more than anything."

What really surprised Icecloud was that she meant what she said. She had dreamed about the day that Lionblaze and Cinderheart broke up, but now that it had happened- she didn't feel any victory. All she felt was sorrow.

Lionblaze was silent for a long while as they walked on in silence. Icecloud was beginning to worry that he wasn't going to respond. "Thank you, Icecloud." The golden tom said it so quietly that she had to strain to hear it. "I needed to hear that." He looked over at her, and smiled weakly.

Icecloud returned it.

They avoided talking about Cinderheart or Foxleap for the rest of their walk, instead talking about prey, recent territory disputes, and Basilkit and Vixenkit. Icecloud soon forgot that she was supposed to be awkward around Lionblaze, and instead felt totally at ease talking with him.

"Ya, we're worried that Basilkit might have bad eyesight," Icecloud mewed. "Vixenkit almost always is able to sneak up on him- even when she's as bulky and noisy as a badger."

Lionblaze flicked his ear. "That can't be good. Who would be able to mentor a kit with bad eyesight?"

Icecloud flicked her tail under Lionblaze's nose playfully. "Maybe Jayfeather?"

The golden tom stopped walking, and looked back on Icecloud with a horror-stricken face. "You would do that to your own kin?"

Icecloud laughed, and stopped a tail-length in front of him"No, I'm just kidding. Poor Basilkit would cry with only a few harsh words from your brother- and besides, Basilkit's intent on becoming a Warrior."

Lionblaze nodded with a slight smile and continued walking with Icecloud. They walked on in silence for awhile, enjoying eachothers company.

"What about Vixenkit?" Lionblaze asked

"Vixenkit? She's a pawfull, but that sweet innocent face seems too fool everyone. Including myself," Icecloud admitted, smiling sheepishly.

"All kit's are like that, aren't they?" Lionblaze asked

Icecloud nodded. "You can never stay mad at them," She agreed.

"You ever want to have kits?"

Icecloud stopped dead in her tracks. _Did he really just ask that?_

Lionblaze looked back at her, wincing. "Sorry, that's a personal question."

Icecloud forced her legs to keep moving "No, it's fine. The thought never really occurred to me, is all." And the thought had never occurred to her. Of course she had dreamed of becoming Lionblaze's mate, but she had never dreamed of having kits.

"I guess I wouldn't mind having kits," Icecloud selected her words carefully, not wanting to sound awkward. "The clan needs kits, and- well..." Icecloud trailed off, not really sure where to go from there. "If I had a mate that I really loved, then having kits with him would be- well, beautiful." Icecloud chewed on her tongue, nervous that she had said too much.

But Lionblaze was only nodding thoughtfully. "True," he murmured.

Icecloud smiled at him, and he shrugged his shoulders and smiled back in a way that was supposed to be awkward, but to Icecloud is was adorable.


	9. Part 8

"We're at the Shadowclan border already?" Lionblaze mewed, surprised.

"That was quick," Icecloud cast a quick glance at the sky. _Already Sunhigh..._

"Well, lets not waste the entire day," Lionblaze meowed, beginning to turn to the forest. "We should go hunting,"

Icecloud lifted a paw to her chest, acting offended. "What, are you saying spending time with me is a waste?"

Lionblaze glanced behind his shoulder, at Icecloud. "Oh, but of course not! There is nothing more enjoyable than spending time with you," he purred. "And I meant _we_ were wasting our day by not helping the clan,"

Icecloud stuck her tongue out at the golden tom. "It was your idea to take a walk instead of hunting in the first place," she mewed as she ran to catch up with Lionblaze. Lionblaze paused for Icecloud to catch up with him. As Icecloud ran, a chilly breeze flew by.

"Burr," Lionblaze puffed out his coat against the wind. "You think it'll snow?"

Icecloud answered as she skidded to a halt next to him. "Maybe," she paused "Do you wanna race again, to warm up?"

Lionblaze shook his head as they began walking into the forest. "No way! I don't feel like being humiliated a second time, thank you."

Icecloud couldn't stop herself from giggling a little. All awkwardness between them had disappeared, it seemed. Icecloud liked it this way.

Lionblaze purred at Icecloud's giggle, which made her blush beneath her fur. "Oh shut up," she muttered.

"Whaaat?" Lionblaze tilted his head to look at her, "You're laugh is cute,"

Icecloud looked back with wide eyes before turning her head away, not wanting to look Lionblaze in the eyes. Ever again. Not after a complement like that.

The golden tom must have realized the awkwardness of what he said, for he apologized quickly. "Oh, I'm sorry Icecloud. I didn't mean it like that- I mean, I didn't mean to imply that we were more than just friends-"

"We should split up to hunt now." the White she-cat dashed ahead, not waiting for an answer.

"O-ok," Lionblaze mewed, uselessly, now that Icecloud was out of hearing distance.

* * *

Lionblaze pondered just how royally he had screwed up as he walked through the forest, following the scent of prey.

_Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!_

A squirrel darted right across his path, less than a mouse-length away from his paws. Lionblaze only stared with dull eyes as it climbed up an Oak tree, chattering. To Lionblaze it sounded like the squirrel was laughing at his misfortune.

_Why did I say that? Just SAYING that I don't want to be more than friends implies that I've thought about being more than friends!_ Lionblaze vaguely looked at the laughing squirrel hidden in the branches. _Have I thought about being more than friends with Icecloud?_

The golden tom shook his head, clearing his thoughts. _Come on, we just became friends. I've only talked to her a few times in the last moon!_

_But I only went on two walks with Cinderheart because we became mates..._ Lionblaze growled at himself.

"Focus," he hissed at himself. The squirrel above him was still chattering on, laughing at how muddled up his thoughts were.

_Hunt for the clan,_ another chilly wind blew by, silencing the furry prey above Lionblaze for half a second.  
_That squirrel would make excellent prey for the elders,_ Lionblaze told himself it was for the elders, but in reality he was just tired of it laughing at him. With determination, Lionblaze leaped onto the tree, and began making his way to the next meal for Tunderclan's elders.

* * *

_Ok, so he doesn't want to be more than friends,_ Icecloud padded through the forest, looking for prey.  
_That's fine. I got over him, like, a moon ago._  
The white she-cat rolled her eyes.  
_Har har. I'm never going to get over that tom._  
The bush in front of Icecloud shook slightly, distracting her from her thoughts. The she-cat fell down into a hunting crouch, and began walking to the bush a bit more quietly.  
When she was a fox-length away, a small pink nose popped out of the bush, followed by long white whiskers.  
_Rabbit,_

As quick as a Windclan cat, Icecloud darted forward, clawing the white creature on the nose. The rabbit reeled back from the attack, but before it could flee, Icecloud had it in her jaws.

With a snap, she broke it's spine, giving the prey a swift and almost-painless death.

It was a decent size, Icecloud concluded, bigger than Vixenkit and Basil kit, but smaller than Seedpaw or her sister. A wind blew past, cold and sharp.  
_Like claws. Cold sharp claws piercing my heart,_ Icecloud sighed and dropped the rabbit, laying down in the dirt with her prey.  
_How to be brave,_ the she-cat glanced longingly at the white sky, stretching out her front paws. _Starclan, give me strength,_  
As if in answer in answer, small snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

* * *

Eventually, Icecloud picked herself off the cold earth and dug a hole for her rabbit. The snow must have persuaded all the other creatures into hiding, because not so much as a water vole was seen for the rest of her hunting expedition. Sighing, Icecloud turned herself around to dig up the rabbit she had caught earlier.

By the time she got back to her spot, the grass beneath her paw's was reduced to a few green patched hiding under the bare branches of the oak tree's.

If it had not snowed, Icecloud would have easily found the spot where she had buried her prey, met up with Lionblaze, and gone back to camp.

But because of the snow, Icecloud was delayed until the sun was threatening to sink behind the treeline, searching for the spot of her buried prey. The snow covered the scent, Leaving Icecloud with cold, numb paws after digging in many places she _swore_ was the place she had left her rabbit.  
_At this rate It'll freeze,_ She thought glumly, digging yet another hole in search for her ever-allusive dead prey.

But Starclan must have heard her prayers, because this time her claws grazed through fur, and Icecloud could clearly see the, now muddy, pelt of her rabbit. _The snow must have made the ground muddy,_ Icecloud growled under her breath. Her father would claw her ears if she brought him this muddy excuse for food.  
So Icecloud began dragging it in the snow, in an attempt to clan it's fur.

If it had not snowed, Icecloud's rabbit would not have gotten muddy, and she would have not wasted time cleaning her prey; and instead would have met up with Lionblaze, and gone back to camp.

But because of the mud, Icecloud had to spend another more-than-few heartbeats awkwardly dragging the rabbit along the snow, leaving brown streaks where the mud had rubbed off.

And because of all the completions that had occurred with the snow, Icecloud had arrived when she did.

* * *

_Dun dun duuuuhhhhhhhnnn! That's all folks!_

_Well, for the next few days. Going of to the Grandparents house for a few days, so I probably won't be able to edit the future chapters and update this for a while. But there's only two parts left, so look forward to some more angsty teen cat drama! 3_


	10. Part 9

**_TW: _**_Implied rape in this chapter. Nothing descriptive, just implied. _

* * *

_Got ya!_

After hopping from tree to tree, chasing his tormentor, Lionblaze finally had the gray squirrel trapped beneath his claws. Its squeaks of terror were cut short as Lionblaze bit down on it's neck, killing it instantly. _You were a tough little guy to catch,_

Lionblaze not-so gracefully slid down the now-icy tree trunk. Chasing the squirrel had taken a long time, he wouldn't have time to catch anything else. He would have to meet up with Icecloud now and head back to camp-

"Lionblaze!~" The voice, sweet as honey, yet colder than the air round him, found it's way to Lionblaze's ears. Involuntarily, the golden tom shuddered. Not because of the cold, but because of the cat that harbored that voice; that voice that he had thought he couldn't live without only two moons ago.

"Cinderheart," The golden tom turned around, feeling his heart sink.

"Where did you go? I wanted to walk with you today," Cinderheart ran up to him, as if she was going to rub against him in greeting, but thought better of it.

"I... That wouldn't work out," Lionblaze mewed awkwardly.

Cinderheart sat down and looked down at her paws, her ears drooping, and her gray pelt spotted with white as the snow continued floating to the ground.

"Lionblaze, I... I'm so sorry," she sniffed.

Here was Cinderheart, giving him a sincere apology. He wanted to here it all, so Lionblaze remind silent.

"I know you have no reason to forgive me- I- I've been nothing but trouble." Cinderheart looked up then, Her blue eyes brimming with tears. "I shouldn't have done what I did, and- and I guess I didn't think of the consequences."

She waited for Lionblaze to speak, but again, he said nothing.

"Y-you were right to be mad, but- but I really think we would have made a great family." The pretty grey she-cat lowered her head again, and murmured "You would have been a great dad."

Even if Lionblaze wanted to speak this time, he was too shocked to.

Cinderheart continued after a moment, her voice cracking with sorrow as she spoke. "I-It's not right what he did. Foxleap took my kits away from me- do you know how that feels? Not being able to raise your own kits? So you're not the only one who's been suffering, Lionblaze. I wanted to walk with you today, so we would be able to talk."  
Cinderheart looked up again, her blush clearly visible.

"I still love you, Lionblaze. I hope that what Foxleap did to me won't change how you feel about m-"

"What _Foxleap_ did to you?" Lionblaze was confused. He never thought about the situation like this...

Cinderheart looked shocked. "Y-yes. I thought you knew- that why you attacked him, right?"

Lionblaze's eyes widened in shock. _Foxleap..._

_"Shut up!"_ seemingly out of nowhere, Icecloud, almost invisible against the whitening forest, tackled Cinderheart into the snow. Lionblaze stood up, but made no move to to help either of them, too shocked.

"You are _lying!" _Icecloud snarled, her voice and gnarled as the Great Oak. "Foxleap would never-"

"What are you doing here?!" Cinderheart screeched, causing Lionblaze to become more confused. Just a moment ago, she was close to crying...

"It's my territory!" Icecloud spat "What are _you_ doing?" She didn'tgive the other she-ct a chance to answer before yowling again. "Lying! Foxleap is the most loyal cat I know! And here you are, spreading rumors about him-"

Cinderheart looked down, suddenly shy and close to crying again. "Icecloud... It's ok. I know."

Icecloud hissed, her words dripping with fury. "You don't know _anything._"

Cinderheart looked up at Icecloud, her eye's clear and sincere. "He did it to you too,"

Icecloud froze, her muscles tensed up, and she seemed to stop breathing.

Cinderheart took this opportunity to slowly slip out of her grip and sit up. "Don't worry. Your not alone."

Icecloud's voice was strained when she replied. "What-"

"My nest it close to yours. I've heard you murmur in your sleep," Cinderheart tilted her head, making her look genuinely concerned. "You sounded scared, and once you cried out his name-"

"_**SHUT UP!**_" Icecloud leaped on Cinderheart again, catching her off-guard. Cinderheart hit the ground with a thump, and Icecloud dug her claws into the snow as she stood over the gray tabby she so much despised.

"YOU'RE LYING! YOU DO NOTHING BUT _LYE!_" Icecloud was screeching at the top of her lungs- and Lionblaze remained rooted to his spot, unable to move as he watched the fighting she-cat's in front of him.

"You don't know Foxleap! You haven't even spoken to him in the last moon! You don't fucking know my brother at all!" Icecloud's eye's were becoming blood-shot as she went on. "And you don't even care about your kits- _`those little balls of dirt'._ You hate your kits- you don't _love_ them! You don't know what love is! You don't _love_ Lionblaze- and you sure as hell don't love my brother!"

Never before had it seemed like silence was it's own noise. No prey rustled in the bushes, no birds called to each other from above- the only sound was Icecloud's labored breaths from shouting for so long. Lionblaze was the first who spoke.

"Icecloud..." And it was his voice- _his voice_, that truly brought her back.

_What did I just do..._

Cinderheart didn't say a word, didn't even try to deny anything. She just lay on the ground, underneath Icecloud's body, eyes wide in shock.

Lionblaze softly padded over, and rested his tail on Icecloud's shoulder. "You ok?"

_Why would he ask me that?_ That's when Icecloud noticed the stream of tears falling from her cheeks.

Everything was blurred- her thoughts, her action's, and the world. She heard Lionblaze shouting her name- he sounded far away. Then she realized she was running. Running away from Cinderheart and Lionblaze

She screamed something that sounded vaguely like, 'Leave me alone' and 'Go away'. But all Icecloud could hear was a ringing- filling her ears, her mind, and her body.

She tasted blood; and felt a warm form surrounding her, shielding her from the harshness of the world.

Icecloud sobbed. She sobbed until sleep wound its cold metallic claws around her mind, and she slept in the warmth that was protecting her.


	11. Part 10 -End-

It had stopped snowing. That was the first thing Icecloud noticed when she woke up. The second thing was the absence of the sun, replaced with stars. And a few heartbeats after, she noticed Lionblaze; he was sleeping, circled around her protectively.

With an undignified "_Eep!_", the white she-cat half fell, half tumbled away from the sleeping tom next to her.

Lionblaze woke with a start, raising his head and tensing his muscles. "What- Icecloud!" Lionblaze stood up slightly, seeing Icecloud flat on her stomach, awkwardly rubbing her head where it hit the ground. He relaxed and laid back down.

"Are you ok?" The concern in his voice made Icecloud remember herself, and she scrambled to put her paws under her body, trying to make this whole situation see normal.

"Er- ya! Yea, I'm fine," She licked her chest, trying to flatten her fur. When she tasted salt on her fur, Icecloud remembered what happened. She remembered her outburst at Cinderheart, Cinderheart's lies; and how much Icecloud herself had cried.  
Cried with Lionblaze curled up next to her, apparently.

They were both silent for a long time.

"Uhh- sorry you had to get involved back there- when Cinderheart was talking to me,"

Icecloud felt like suddenly crying again- or shouting, or _something._ "It's fine," She muttered, looking at the ground in between her front legs.

Lionblaze coughed awkwardly before scooting himself in front of Icecloud, so that they were facing each other more clearly.

"So, umm- ahem, is, anything that Cinderheart said, at all true?"

It took Icecloud a moment to understand what Lionblaze meant. "N-no! No, absolutely not! Foxleap is a loyal cat!" Icecloud puffed out her fur, furious that Lionblaze could ever be that stupid.

"O-oh, ok. Sorry, I just wanted to be sure," Lionblaze's voice lowered into a murmur, too quiet for Icecloud to hear.

"What?"

"Nothing," Lionblaze mewed, louder.

A cold wind blew by, causing both Icecloud an Lionblaze to shiver. Their combined warmth from sleeping together had melted the snow in their small clearing, but snow was still circled around them.

"We should head back to camp," Lionblaze mewed, looking at the dark sky.

"How late is it?"

"The sun just set about an hour ago, so it's not late." Lionblaze paused for a moment, looking into the forest. "But it's cold," another bone-chilling wind rushed by, greeting his words, accompanied by new snow flakes falling from the dark blue sky.

Icecloud nodded in agreement, glad for their conversation to turn away from the new rumors surrounding her brother- even if it was just awkward talk about the weather. Lionblaze was the first to stand up, stretching his stiff muscles. Icecloud quickly followed suite.

"Which way is camp?" Icecloud asked. The snowy forest didn't look familiar to her.

Lionblaze glanced around. "This way," He mewed, walking off to the deeper part of the forest.

Another walk trough the forest with this tom was the last thing Icecloud wanted. But she had to get back to camp. _I will be brave,_

"Icecloud?" Lionblaze called back.

"I'm right here!" Icecloud darted forward, searching for a familiar golden pelt in the quickly thickening snow. Just as she opened her mouth to try and scent out Lionblaze, another wind came, much stronger than the last, bowing in huge amounts of snow. Icecloud's vision blurred, and snow was caught in her throat.  
Shocked, the white she-cat fell to the ground, spluttering and squeezing her eyes shut.

Icecloud felt teeth on her scruff, lifting her off the ground and out of the snow. When the white she-cat found her footing, she felt warm breath in her ear. "You ok?"

Icecloud looked over her shoulder. "Thanks," she murmured.

Lionblaze nodded. "No problem."

It had only been a short amount of time, but it had felt like moons to Icecloud. The storm had grown within minutes, and snow lashed their faces; Icecloud could almost swear she felt it cutting into her nose and ears like claws.  
Lionblaze and herself walked together now, their sides touching. For warmth, and so they wouldn't get separated- it was impossible to see more than a tail-length in front of their noses now.

Icecloud was amazed they hadn't run into any trees yet.

"W-we must be close to camp by now," The wind stole her words, and Icecloud was positive that Lionblaze hadn't heard her.

In another couple of heartbeats, Lionblaze stopped walking abruptly. Icecloud stopped with him.

"What's wrong?!" Icecloud shouted over the wind.

Lionblaze leaned into Icecloud, putting his muzzle next to Icecloud's ear. "We're at a abandoned twoleg nest," He mewed. "We can wait out the storm here."

"_A_, abandoned twoleg nest? Not the one in our territory?" _Have we been walking the wrong way this whole time?_

Lionblaze opened his mouth to respond, but a wind stronger than the both of them came pounding through, forcing both Lionblaze and Icecloud to crouch down and dig their claws into the ground. The snow that came in with the wind completely blinded Icecloud, leaving her seeing nothing but the piercing white that was the cold, unforgiving blizzard.

Icecloud heard Lionblaze. She couldn't understand what he was saying- but he was shouting, and Icecloud couldn't hear his words. The wind still pushed her to the ground, but Icecloud reached out a paw to where she last saw Lionblaze.

Her pads were far too numb to feel if she was touching Lionblaze or not- but his shouting stopped. Slowly, the snow cleared just enough for Icecloud to make out Lionblaze's crouching form. Neither of them had moved, they were right next to each other. Icecloud saw her own paw on top of Lionblaze's.

Lionblaze lifted his one free paw to point forward. Icecloud squinted in the direction- she could just barely see a looming gray shape in front of them.  
_The twoleg nest,_

Lionblaze struggled to his paws, visibly shivering. Icecloud didn't want to get up. But the golden tom set his tail in front if Icecloud's nose. Slowly, on legs she couldn't feel, Icecloud stood up. She lightly bit onto his tail, and he lead the way.

_I'm going to die. _Icecloud thought about who would bring her to Starclan.

_Probably Ferncloud._ One foot in front of the other.

_Maybe Hollykit. I've never met my sister before._ Lionblaze was shouting again.

_Could we be together in Starclan, love?_

Slowly, the gray shape in the distance grew closer, and they stepped through the entrance.

Inside the twoleg next might have been a whole different world. There was still snow; the roof was missing, allowing some snow to float to the floor.

But the _wind_ was gone. Blowing well over their heads, it also blew away a lot of the snow before it could fall into the nest. Icecloud lifted a paw. She saw the brown wooden ground beneath her paw print.

"Come on. Lets head to the corner and brush away the snow. We can warm up there," Even Lionblaze's voice sounded cold and shaken.

Icecloud nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Together, fur touching, they walked into the nearest corner. Wind was still blowing in from the doorway, but it seemed like a pleasant breeze compared to what it was like outside.

Using their tails, because their paws we're too frozen, they brushed away a patch of snow for them to lie down. Lionblaze was the first to get off his paws; Icecloud hesitated a moment before laying down with him.

_For body heat,_

They were silent for a long time, shivering against each other.

"Don't fall asleep," Lionblaze's deep throated whisper surprised Icecloud.

"W-what?"

"Don't fall asleep," Lionblaze mewed again, louder. "If you fall asleep, you may not wake up."

Icecloud twisted her head to look into Lionblaze's eyes. "I won't fall asleep if you won't," she whispered. Lionblaze licked her forehead, and they elapsed into a comfortable silence.

* * *

"You awake?"

"Yes. And yourself?"

Lionblaze purred in response. They had been in the twoleg nest for an what seemed like a moon already, and with the storm staying at its height, it was becoming clear that they were going to stay here all night. Without sleep.

At least they were warming up.

"So if we're not allowed to sleep, are we allowed to talk?" Icecloud asked, yawning.

"If it'll help you stay awake, I don't see why not." Lionblaze wiggled a little, giving Icecloud enough room to roll over, so they were facing each other.

After Icecloud was comfortable, Lionblaze asked, "So what do you want to talk about?"

Icecloud thought for a moment. "Well, first, I'd like to know where we are. We must be out of our territory- this nest isn't the one in Thunderclan."

Lionblaze scrunched up his nose, thinking for a moment. "Don't worry, I know where we are. This is outside our territory; by Shadowclan's border."

Icecloud flicked an ear. "You've been here before?"

"A long time ago. When I was an apprentice," Lionblaze's tone was clear with dismissal; he didn't want to talk about it.

Icecloud became silent, and though it seemed silly, a little offended.

Lionblaze must have felt bad, because he tried to make amends. "Sorry, but hey, you can't say that you've never snuck out as an apprentice, right?"

Icecloud couldn't help but purr. "Sure, I snuck out. But I didn't get caught nearly as many times as you did," She paused for a moment. "And I've never left the clan's territories."

"Where did you go then?"

Icecloud waved her tail dismissively. "Well, we- Foxleap and I, snuck out as kit's once. We actually tried following you and Ashfur out of camp. But we chickened out a few trees past the entrance," Icecloud admitted sheepishly. "We never went fox-hunting as kits, or to the mountains as apprentices." She shrugged. "But we were happy."

Lionblaze was quiet for a while. Icecloud had no idea what was going through his head. He took a deep breath before saying anything.

"I-I'm really sorry for hurting your brother. I don't know what I was thinking- Or, I wasn't thinking what Cinderheart said- but anyways, I should have apologized sooner- but, I-I didn't want to bring it up. But- but when we get back to camp, I'll apologize to Foxleap himself."

Lionblaze looked away from Icecloud, instead looking at the snow blowing over their heads. Icecloud herself was surprised- why bring that up at a time like this? When they were so close?

"Lionblaze.." Icecloud murmured, not really sure what to say.

"A-and one more thing." Now Lionblaze was thoroughly interested at the back wall, staring at it intently. "I know that we haven't really talked much other than today- but, but I feel really close to you- I mean, I feel like we're really good friends already, and if you, uh, ever decided that- you, wanted, I guess, to be more than friends, uh, I wouldn't mind. Unless you wanted to remain friends, which, I would be perfectly happy with- but, if you ever wanted a mate, then, I guess, if you don't hate me, then, we could- uh, have more walks, together- or, something."

The golden tom now had a red face, but to his credit, he didn't hide in his fur or anything of the sort. He just found it impossible to look at Icecloud.

Icecloud's heart threatened to burst out of her chest. _Every breath. Every hour has come to this,_  
She took a deep breath.  
_  
"I have died every day waiting for you,  
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you  
__For a Thousand years.  
__I'll love you for a Thousand more."_

Lionblaze blinked in surprise, and opened his mouth to speak. Icecloud looked at her paws, a soft glow surrounding her face, and she continued speaking.

_"And all along I believed time would find you;  
Time has brought your heart to me  
I have loved you for  
A Thousand years,  
And I'll love you for a Thousand more_."

Somehow Icecloud's head was now resting under Lionblaze's. The wind howled outside, but Icecloud felt warm. Nothing could take this away from her.

* * *

_The End :3_

_A Thousand Years- Christina Perri_

_ /watch?v=q9ayN39xmsI_


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